Snow-retaining roof bracket

ABSTRACT

The invention provides a snow-retaining roof bracket in which the bracket is secured by a hooked end in which the element which hooks over the batten is also provided with two sharp spikes to anchor the bracket if the batten is thicker than the hook&#39;s opening. The snow-retaining element is configured with peripheral flanges to strengthen the bracket and grip the snow.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to the field of roof-mounted fenders, stops orbrackets for preventing snow from sliding off roofs.

BACKGROUND

It has long been known to attach fenders, stops or brackets to thesloping roofs of buildings to prevent accumulated snow from sliding offthe roof and causing damage or personal injury. See for example U.S.Pat. Nos. 185,137; 401,202; 591,594; 907,355 and 1,222,953. Such guardsor brackets typically have a snow-retaining dam, barrier or fenceelement which extends perpendicularly to the roof's surface to engagethe snow. It is attached to an elongated flat strip or bar which permitsit to be inserted under the roof tiles or shingles. The strip is securedto the roof by nails or it may have a hook to engage the roof batten asin DE 100 52 979 C1 published 13 Jun. 2002. In a further variation shownin U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,184 the strip has a pointed barb which engagesand penetrates the center of the wooden roof batten. If the batten istoo thin however it does not perform adequately.

The further problem faced by such roof snow fenders, stops or bracketsis that the weight of snow can become considerable and can bend or breakthe bracket, particularly where it is attached to the roof or roofbatten or at the point of engagement with the snow. Also the barb shownin U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,184 typically requires hammering for it topenetrate the batten on installation which may bend the barb and requirerepair, and resultant weakening of the barb when it is re-installed.There is therefore a need for a snow-retaining roof bracket whichreduces the foregoing problems.

The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations relatedthereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Otherlimitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill inthe art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.

SUMMARY

The following embodiments and aspects thereof are described andillustrated in conjunction with systems, tools and methods which aremeant to be exemplary and illustrative, not limiting in scope. Invarious embodiments, one or more of the above-described problems havebeen reduced or eliminated, while other embodiments are directed toother improvements.

The invention therefore provides a snow-retaining roof bracket forattachment to roofs, each roof having roof battens and differing roofshaving roof battens of differing thicknesses, the snow-retaining roofbracket being formed from a strip of metal plate comprising a generallyflat elongated central element, a generally triangular snow-retainingelement extending upwardly relative to said elongated element adjacent afirst end thereof, and a roof batten engaging element adjacent the otherend thereof; the snow retaining element being formed by bending themetal strip in three locations thereby forming three sides of a trianglecomprising interior angles totaling 180 degrees, a first side beinggenerally upstanding relative to the elongated central element, a secondside joining the first and third sides, and a third side parallel to theelongated central element wherein a substantial portion of each edge ofthe second side of the triangle is bent towards the interior of saidtriangle forming elongated downward flanges; and the roof battenengaging element being formed by bending the metal strip approximately90 degrees in two locations thereby forming a U-shaped opening on theopposite side of the flat elongated central element from the snowretaining element, the U-shaped opening being sized to receive a roofbatten, the free end of the roof batten engaging element having aV-shaped cut-out therein to thereby form two pointed projectionsextending parallel to the flat elongated element in the direction of thesnow-retaining element.

The invention further provides a method of manufacturing asnow-retaining roof bracket from a strip of metal plate comprising: a)forming a generally triangular snow-retaining element extending upwardlyrelative to the elongated element adjacent a first end thereof bybending the metal strip in three locations thereby forming three sidesof a triangle comprising interior angles totaling 180 degrees, the firstside being generally upstanding relative to the elongated centralelement, the second side joining the first and third sides and the thirdside parallel to the elongated central element, and bending asubstantial portion of each edge of the second side of the triangletowards the interior of said triangle forming elongated downwardflanges; b) securing the first end to said metal strip; c) forming aV-shaped cut-out in the second end to thereby form two pointedprojections extending parallel to the flat elongated element in thedirection of the first end of the snow-retaining element; and d) forminga roof batten engaging element adjacent the other end thereof by bendingthe metal strip approximately 90 degrees in two locations therebyforming a U-shaped opening on the opposite side of the flat elongatedcentral element from the snow-retaining element.

In addition to the exemplary aspects and embodiments described above,further aspects and embodiments will become apparent by reference to thedrawings and by study of the following detailed descriptions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced figures of thedrawings. It is intended that the embodiments and figures disclosedherein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the snow-retaining roof bracketaccording to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of the snow-retaining roof bracket shown nFIG. 1, partially in cross-section;

FIG. 3 is a top view of the snow-retaining roof bracket shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken along lines A-A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section taken along lines C-C of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a top view of the spike element of the snow-retaining roofbracket shown in FIG. 1. taken along line D of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION

Throughout the following description specific details are set forth inorder to provide a more thorough understanding to persons skilled in theart. However, well known elements may not have been shown or describedin detail to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the disclosure. Accordingly,the description and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative,rather than a restrictive, sense.

With reference to FIG. 1, a snow-retaining roof bracket 10 comprises atriangular snow barrier 12, elongated attachment strip 14, and hook end16. Preferably the bracket is manufactured from a single strip of 15gauge (1.5 mm) zinc-plated steel plate which is powder coated or paintedbut can also be fabricated from aluminum or copper plate. The length ofthe bracket is selected according to the length of tile or shingle onthe roof. The bracket 10 is formed from the single strip of metal plateby bending, crimping and welding. To stiffen the metal plate, elongatedindentations 18 are pressed in the metal upwardly from the undersidesurface 19 (FIG. 4). Triangular section 12 is formed at one end bybending the metal strip so that it overlaps in area 20, where it issecured by forming tabs 22 in the lower plate which extend through holes24 in the upper plate and are bent over to tighten. The two plates maythen be welded where they contact. Alternatively the plates may besecured by rivets. Triangular section 12 is strengthened by bending downa ¼ inch section 28 along each edge of side 26 thereby formingperipheral flanges 28 on side 26. It may also be strengthened by forminga central indentation 30 (FIGS. 2, 3) which may also be formed as two ormore parallel elongated indentations. The peripheral flanges 28 alsoserve to increase the grip of the snow-retaining section on the snow,since they increase the tendency of the snow and ice to freeze aroundthe triangular section 12.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show the bracket with break lines B/B indicating that thebracket is of indefinite length. The length of the bracket is selectedaccording to the length of tile or shingle on the roof, with onestandard length being about 16 inches in length and 3 cm. (1 and 3/16inches) in width. End 16 is bent with the end 32 extending back towardsthe body of the bracket, and is formed with two spikes 34. In this waythe bracket adapts to roof battens of different thicknesses by forming aU-shaped opening on the opposite side of said flat elongated centralelement from said snow-retaining element, said U-shaped opening beingsized to receive a standard roof batten. If the wooden roof batten isthinner than distance E in FIG. 2, then the end 16 will wrap around it.If however the batten is thicker than distance E, then spikes 34 willpierce the wooden batten to anchor the bracket.

The two spikes 34 are formed by forming a V-shaped cut-out in the secondend 16 to thereby form two pointed projections extending parallel to thebody of the bracket, pointing back in the direction of the triangularelement 12. This makes the spikes stiffer than the prior art and morereadily hammered into the roof batten, since the outer edges of thespikes are in line with the direction of force of the hammer.

Thus not only is the present bracket stronger than previoussnow-retaining roof brackets, but it anchors the bracket to battens ofwidely different thicknesses and grips and egages the snow moreeffectively.

While a number of exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussedabove, those of skill in the art will recognize certain modifications,permutations, additions and sub-combinations thereof. It is thereforeintended that the invention be interpreted to include all suchmodifications, permutations, additions and sub-combinations as arewithin its true spirit and scope.

1. A snow-retaining roof bracket for attachment to roofs, each roofhaving roof battens and differing roofs having roof battens of differingthicknesses, said snow-retaining roof bracket being formed from a stripof metal plate comprising a generally flat elongated central element, agenerally triangular snow-retaining element extending upwardly relativeto said elongated element adjacent a first end thereof, and a roofbatten engaging element adjacent the other end thereof; said thesnow-retaining element being formed by bending said metal strip in threelocations thereby forming three sides of a triangle comprising interiorangles totaling 180 degrees, the first side being generally upstandingrelative to said elongated central element, the second side joining thefirst and third sides and the third side parallel to said elongatedcentral element wherein a substantial portion of each edge of saidsecond side of said triangle is bent towards the interior of saidtriangle forming elongated downward flanges; said roof batten engagingelement being formed by bending said metal strip approximately 90degrees in two locations thereby forming a U-shaped opening on theopposite side of said flat elongated central element from saidsnow-retaining element, said U-shaped opening being sized to receive aroof batten, the free end of said roof batten engaging element having aV-shaped cut-out therein to thereby form two pointed projectionsextending parallel to said flat elongated element in the direction ofsaid snow-retaining element.
 2. The snow-retaining roof bracket of claim1 wherein said U-shaped opening is further sized such that said twopointed projections engage said roof batten when said roof batten isthicker than the opening formed by said U-shaped element.
 3. A method ofmanufacturing a snow-retaining roof bracket from a strip of metal platecomprising: a) forming a generally triangular snow-retaining elementextending upwardly relative to said elongated element adjacent a firstend thereof by bending said metal strip in three locations therebyforming three sides of a triangle comprising interior angles totaling180 degrees, the first side being generally upstanding relative to saidelongated central element, the second side joining the first and thirdsides and the third side being parallel to said elongated centralelement and bending a substantial portion of each edge of the secondside of said triangle towards the interior of said triangle formingelongated downward flanges; b) securing said first end to said metalstrip; c) forming a V-shaped cut-out in the second end to thereby formtwo pointed projections extending parallel to said flat elongatedelement in the direction of said snow-retaining element; and d) forminga roof batten engaging element adjacent the other end thereof by bendingsaid metal strip approximately 90 degrees in two locations therebyforming a U-shaped opening on the opposite side of said flat elongatedcentral element from said snow-retaining element.